German Lotto

The German Lotto, also known as Lotto 6 aus 49, is one of the longest-running European lottery games, having held its first draw on 9th October 1955. The game is currently operated by Deutscher Lotto- und Totoblock, a conglomeration of 16 regional lottery operators in Germany. Each of these lotteries takes turns running the group, with a new leader taking over every three years.

German Lotto draws were originally held once a week on Saturdays, but in 1982 a Wednesday draw was added to the schedule. The matrix of the game was changed from 7/38 to 6/49 in June 1986 and additional rule changes were made in May 2013, when the Superzahl, which works like the Powerball in the US lottery game, was added. This improved the odds of winning a prize, going from an overall 1 in 54 to 1 in 31.

How to Play German Lotto

German Lotto is a straightforward game; players purchase their tickets and select six numbers from 1 to 49 and a bonus number, known as a Superzahl, from 0 to 9, which is chosen during the draw from a separate machine.

Winning German Lotto Prizes

Prizes are handed out to players who match as few as two main numbers and the Superzahl. If you want to snap up the top prize, you’ll need to match all six main numbers drawn as well as the Superzahl. Visit the German Lotto Prizes page to learn more about how - and what - you could win.

Spiel 77

Spiel 77 is a supplementary game played alongside German Lotto. Players opt in to the game on their ticket and pay an additional fee. A random seven-digit number is generated on the ticket, the last number of which acts as the Superzahl for the main draw. If a player matches some or all of these numbers in order, they can win great cash prizes. The Spiel 77 jackpot is always worth a minimum of €177,777 and can increase in value if no one manages to match the numbers drawn in their exact order.

Super 6

Similar to Spiel 77, Super 6 is a side game that players can add to their ticket. The same seven-digit number generated for Spiel 77 is used but the first number is disregarded. Matching the numbers in the order they were generated can net you some great prizes, from €2.50 just for matching the final number to €100,000 for matching all six in order.

Picking German Lotto Numbers Online

If you live in Germany, you can buy tickets in-person from an authorised retailer or online through your local lottery. Overseas players can choose their numbers online to win any of the prizes on offer in each German Lotto draw.